The Knight's Temptress (Lairds of the Loch) (33 page)

“That was considerate of you,” Lady Aubrey said dryly.

“I thought it was,” Murie said on a note of satisfaction. “So may we go?”

“Did you not visit Annie at all?”

“We saw her, aye. But she was taking a basket of things up to one of her kinsmen on the mountain, so we came away again.”

Lady Aubrey nodded, but Lina said, “I thought you said that Dree was dreadfully worried or sick, Murie.”

Lady Aubrey gave Lina a keen look. “They
are
returning much sooner than we had expected,” she said with a frown.

Realizing that if Andrena
was
pregnant, their mother would likely know of it, Lina said, “I did sense her worry after Murie spoke of it, Mam, but not pain or fear.”

“She is no longer fearful,” Murie said. “But something
is
amiss.”

Lady Aubrey said, “Wait here for them then. If you sense that they are near, they are likely at Craggan, and if Andrena is unwell, they may spend the night.”

Lina nearly said that they were unlikely to stop at Craggan, since Colquhoun was at Dunglass. But she held her peace because just thinking about Dunglass sent her thoughts flying from Andrena and Mag back to Ian.

The rest of Ian’s journey home passing without incident, he and his party reached Dunglass shortly before midnight Saturday night.

Learning from a gillie that, although some of their guests were still up, Colquhoun and his lady had retired, Ian said to his two companions, “We’ll get some sleep, too, then, but I must speak with my parents first in the morning. So, Rob, I want you to find out from Alex and Mag what progress, if any, the others have made. My father will have thoughts to add, too, so we’ll confer with him later. Then, after the midday meal, I’ll want to meet in the hall with everyone.”

Rob nodded without comment, so Ian turned to Galbraith. “I’ll take you in now, sir, and turn you over to my father’s steward. I hope you will forgive me for abandoning you. But you’ll want supper and a room, and I don’t know which ones are in use and which are not. When I see my father, I’ll tell him that you are here.”

“Aye, sure, lad, do what ye must,” Galbraith said. “I’ll look after myself and will likely find someone amongst your guests to bear me company.”

After giving orders to the steward to see to Galbraith’s comfort, Ian added, “Have someone wake me when my parents begin stirring. And, prithee, tell them that I would speak privately with them before they break their fast.”

Assured that all was in train for the morrow, Ian went to bed. But he felt as if only minutes had passed when Hak shook him awake at dawn on Sunday. “The laird and his lady be dressing,” Hak said. “He said they’ll meet ye in the solar.”

Knowing that his parents rarely dallied in the morning, Ian performed his ablutions hastily but with care. Then, donning a fresh tunic and his blue-and-gray plaid, he went directly to the solar and found his parents waiting for him.

Greeting his mother by kissing first one soft hand and then her cheek, Ian straightened and turned to his father. “Good morrow, sir.”

“Glad ye’re back but sorry ye missed seeing Mag and Andrena yesterday, lad,” Colquhoun said, giving him a paternal double-clap on the shoulder.

“Sakes, I thought Dree meant to spend a month in Ayrshire.”

“She had been unwell,” Colquhoun replied. “Glad as she was to meet Wilhelmina and Erskine, she had been worrying herself sick over Lina. I told Mag to take her on home in the galley. That way, he can get back here faster.”

“Strange that she would go home, though,” Ian said. “You must have told her that Lina is safe now.”

“It did seem odd, aye,” Lady Colquhoun said. “But one does not inquire too closely, you know, when someone appears unwell and yet reluctant to speak of it. When they left, she did have more color and seemed to be her usual
self, but even so, your father told Sir Magnus he should stop at Craggan last night to let her rest.”

Wondering if Andrena had sensed his marriage to Lina and was worrying about that, too, Ian braced himself and said, “I have news for you.”

Smiling, Lady Colquhoun said, “
Good
news, I trow. What is it?”

Colquhoun remained silent, but his gaze was sharp.

Meeting that gaze, Ian said, “I’m married.”

Lady Colquhoun’s jaw dropped. She looked at her husband, whose lips had tightened to a thin line.

Colquhoun recovered first. “You are
what
?”

Hardly what one would call an explosion, so Ian said, “I married Lina MacFarlan. Sithee, sir, it was like this…” In explaining what had happened, he would have preferred to leave out Dougal’s exact threats in deference to Lady Colquhoun’s sensibilities. But he realized that, if his parents were to understand the need for such haste, he could not. When he told them about his declaration and then paused to let them speak, both were silent.

Then Lady Colquhoun gave herself a little shake and beamed at him. “That
is
good news, dearling. I shall adore having Lina as my good-daughter. I
am
gey sorry to have missed seeing you marry, but I do think you made an excellent choice.”

“Thank you, Mam, I do, too,” he said. “You missed only the brief declaration, and we do mean to have a priest marry us properly in the Kirk later. Everyone can attend that ceremony.”

“I, too, have no objection to Lina, but why so hasty, lad?” Colquhoun asked. “Could you not have protected her by simply declaring yourselves betrothed and waiting
for the parson? In troth, you did not need to rush back, as you did. After all, persuading James Mòr to yield Dumbarton
will
take time.”

“Our betrothal would not have deterred Dougal,” Ian said. “I ken fine that the Kirk takes that ceremony to be as powerful as a marriage, sir. But in fact, it is not. By Scottish law, a husband can return an unchaste bride. If Dougal had a chance to spread his venom, that alone would have destroyed Lina. But now that she bears our name, I doubt that Dougal will dare do her harm.”

“Aye, perhaps,” Colquhoun said. “But ye’ll be occupied for some time here.”

“Have you arranged another meeting with James Mòr then?” Ian asked, certain he already knew the answer to the question.

“Nay, not yet. He must soon bow to reason, though. His rebels control the harbor, so ships refuse to enter, and many local folks have hidden their beasts and grain out of fear of rebel marauders. He must be getting low on supplies.”

“Where do you and Lina mean to live, dearling?” Lady Colquhoun asked.

Grateful for the diversion because, despite any lack of supplies, he could not agree that James Mòr would be reasonable, Ian said, “We’ll live at Craggan, Mam, if that will suit you and Father.”

“Aye, sure,” Colquhoun said. “Choose where ye will, lad. Likely, ye’ll take more of an interest in our estates now.”

Ian nodded, although he was
more
interested in retaking Dumbarton for the King so he could return to Tùr Meiloach and collect his lady wife.

One small rub did still exist. Although the ever-unpredictable
Colquhoun had expressed no objection, he had likewise not yet given the marriage his blessing.

Mag and Andrena reached Tùr Meiloach in time for Sunday’s midday meal, and one look at her older sister told Lina that Murie was right.

Something was amiss.

However, when Murie demanded to know what was wrong, Andrena said she was fine. And, in truth, Andrena did
look
much as she always did, albeit somewhat pale and quieter than usual.

When Murie pressed harder, Lady Aubrey intervened.

“Eat your dinner, Muriella,” she said. “And do not indulge your curiosity so far that you ignore Lizzie. Remember that she is our guest.”

As they ate, Mag asked a few questions about Lina’s and Lizzie’s capture and captivity, but Lizzie went on chatting quietly with Murie, leaving Lina to answer him. She said only that the man leading the rebels was Dougal MacPharlain and that the rebels were much farther north than anyone had thought they would be.

Lady Margaret said curtly, “A dreadful thing, that! They had no right, Magnus. I have told your father that he must not let that happen again.”

Mag looked at Lina, then at Lizzie, whose eyes were fixed on her trencher.

“Have ye more questions, lad?” Andrew asked. Without awaiting a reply, he added, “Because if ye don’t, I should tell ye that, yestereve, right here on this dais, Sir Ian Colquhoun declared himself and our Lina married.”

“Good sakes!” Andrena exclaimed, turning to look at Lina. “You’re married?”

“I just said so, aye,” Andrew said. “That devil MacPharlain threatened to ruin her good name. And
that
after having had the temerity to beg for her hand himself.”

Lina leaned forward to see that despite Mag’s instantly avowed outrage at Dougal, his eyes were brimming with humor. He wished her happiness in her marriage as if the very thought of that marriage amused him.

Andrena was also smiling, but she shook her head, as well. “What demon possessed you to marry Sir Ian of all men?” she asked. “Do you
care
for him?”

“He is kind to me, and I like him,” Lina replied. “So do you, come to that.”

“I do, aye. But you have so often disapproved of him. What changed?”

“I’d liefer not discuss that here,” Lina said. “But one does easily develop affection for a man brave enough and clever enough to sneak into an enemy castle at the risk of his life simply to discover if one has come to harm there.”

“He did so again to rescue you,” Andrena said, nodding. “Sakes, but it is exactly the sort of thing he
would
do, too, just to prove that he could. Marrying you, though, even to protect you from Dougal, surprises me much more. But your agreement to marry
him
is even more astonishing.”

“Aye, well, I have no regrets… not yet, at all events.”

Andrena said more soberly, “Mag told me that the King has asked Ian to reclaim Dumbarton for him.”

Lina nodded. “I don’t know how he can possibly do that, though.”

“Ian is most resourceful. If anyone can do it, he will. Aye, Mam,” Andrena added, leaning forward to look past Lady
Margaret and reply to a quiet question from Lady Aubrey, “I am ready to go upstairs. In fact, I’m ready to sleep.”

“Get along to bed then, lass,” Andrew said. “I mean to keep your husband yet a while, because I’ve reason to think that Pharlain is gathering men and arming them, so he may try again to seize Tùr Meiloach. Sithee, Dougal was gey angry when I refused to let Lina marry him, and he and his da be gey quick to leap into battle. Pharlain also declared that any charters I have must be forgeries.”

“That villain!” Dree exclaimed. “He didn’t!”

Lina glanced at Lady Aubrey and saw confirmation in her expression—and something else, too—before Andrew said, “Some dafty told him that Jamie wants landowners to show him the charters that prove their rights to their estates. Since Pharlain canna produce any, he’s putting it about that mine be false.” Pausing, he added thoughtfully, “I’ve caught nae spy here yet, but I ken fine that Pharlain may have a man or two here just as I have mine at Arrochar. Doubtless, I’d be wise to look over my documents to be sure that nae one has tampered with them.”

Feeling an inexplicable sense of alarm, Lina glanced at her mother just as Lady Aubrey said mildly, “Pharlain may hope that you do that very thing, sir. He may have set an informant to watch for you to reveal your hiding place. You would perhaps be wiser to stay well away from it.”

Beside her, Lady Margaret muttered, “Excellent advice, that.”

“Aye, true enough,” Andrew agreed with the warm smile for Lady Aubrey that he reserved solely for her. “In any event,” he added, “since Mag returns to Dunglass tomorrow, I want to get his opinion afore then on some tactics I have devised. None o’ the rest o’ ye need linger.”

Lina saw Mag and Andrena exchange glances. Then Mag looked at Lina.

Understanding his silent plea, she nodded. “I’ll go up with you, Dree. We can talk more whilst I help you prepare for your nap.”

Andrena nodded, and Murie began to stand just as Lady Aubrey said in a tone that brooked no argument, “Muriella, you and Lizzie will come to the solar with Lady Margaret and me, as usual, when her ladyship has finished her claret.”